Over 6,200 pilgrims leave Jammu for Amarnath

The 15th batch of more than 6,200 Amarnath pilgrims left the Bhagwati Nagar base camp here early on Monday morning amid tight security, officials said. As many as 2,29,221 devotees have paid obeisance at the Amarnath shrine since the annual pilgrimage began on July 1. A total of 6,648 pilgrims left in a convoy of 241 vehicles for the twin base camps in Kashmir to undertake the onward journey to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva.

Officials said 3,686 pilgrims, headed for Pahalgam, left in a convoy of 132 vehicles while another convoy of 109 vehicles carrying 2,998 pilgrims left for the Baltal base camp at 3.30 am and 3.45 am, respectively. The 62-day annual pilgrimage commenced from the twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbal district on July 1. The yatra is scheduled to conclude on August 31.